RUBBISH PILES UP AT WALMER TOWNSHIP SCHOOLS

Mountains of rubbish continue to pile up at two Walmer Township schools. Walmer Lower Primary and Walmer High School have had piles of rubbish (see attached photos) on their school premises since August last year. There are hundreds of black bags involved.

I personally visited these schools after receiving complaints from the local community. I was horrified at what I saw, particularly at Walmer Lower Primary. This state of affairs is totally unacceptable and would never be tolerated at schools across the road.

Why must township schools receive third class treatment? No caring society can tolerate this kind of affair.

I have written to the MEC for Education, Mahlubandile Qwase, requesting his intervention as this problem has been ongoing for a year. The co-operative operating in the township declines to remove the rubbish as they are not paid to do so by the municipality. The Department of Education must intervene and ensure that the municipality or its agents are paid to do this job.

Not only is this pile of rubbish a health hazard which can encourage rats but it also sends out the totally wrong message to learners that nobody cares for them or their environment. We need to encourage a climate of excellence in our schools and when public services such as these are neglected it just highlights an “I-don’t-care-a-damn” attitude.